Garden Advice for Summer 2026
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
06/06/2026
A Note from the Ramsey County Garden Education Volunteers
Thanks to everyone who stopped by our plant sale at Aldrich Arena a few weeks ago! Proceeds from the sale will be invested in our programs across Ramsey County. We’re grateful for your support!
The gardening season is now in full swing! We look forward to seeing you at farmers markets, yard waste sites, summer classes and many community events in the coming months.
As always, you can write or call us with your questions, or visit the Extension website for helpful information.
Summer Garden Activities
JUNE
Plant any remaining warm season annuals now that danger of frost has passed
Weed, mulch, and water wisely!
Watch for Japanese Beetles and other pests — manage as they emerge
Place traps for apple maggots in your apple trees by the end of the month, because apple maggots become active in early July
Thin direct-seeded plants to their final spacing, like radishes, carrots, beets, and alyssum.
Pinch some plants for bushier growth like peppers, basil, and zinnia.
JULY
Fill empty late-season space in your garden: Check out this list of what can still thrive when planted in July
Watch for extreme heat, and be cautious of herbicide and pesticide use in hot conditions
Deadhead flowers to encourage new growth
(including weeds)Prune spring-flowering shrubs
Call an arborist if you see extensive damage on your trees from the summer storms. When trees have ragged wounds, they will not heal as well as a smooth cut.
Hold off on spraying herbicides in the lawn until this fall, when temperatures are cooler and the perennial weeds start pulling energy into their crowns. You can manually pull weeds during this time without doing too much damage to the lawn.
Start direct-sowing fall vegetables where you had early-season vegetables that may have bolted (flowered). Cabbage, carrots, beets, and broccoli work well as fall crops.
AUGUST
Harvest annual flowers and vegetables. Harvest regularly to keep plants productive. You may see more wasps around your garden if you leave fruit on the plants to rot.
Begin collecting seeds from spent annuals for next year
Consider late summer/early fall lawn care, including seeding, fertilizing and aerating. Check out this guide to turfgrass seed from the UMN Extension.
Plant cover crops in annual garden spaces
Divide overgrown herbaceous perennials that have already bloomed this year, but wait to divide plants like perennial mums that bloom in fall until next spring.
Summer Garden Information
Heatwave makes vegetables misbehave
When the weather heats up, gardeners often report disappointing yields in their vegetable beds: bushy cucumber plants with no fruit, tomatoes not ripening, and beans with no flowers. Be prepared for summer with this guide on common heat-related concerns.
Lesser celandine: An invasive plant making its way across the Upper Midwest
Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), sometimes known as fig buttercup, is a short, perennial plant that is spreading in the Midwest. It has shiny, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves and small, bright-yellow flowers. Natural resource professionals are asking for your help to prevent the spread of this invasive plant and protect our landscapes.
Contribute to the bumble bee watch!
Bumble Bee Watch is a collaborative effort to track and conserve North America’s bumble bees. This community science project allows for individuals to upload photos of bumble bees to start a virtual bumble bee collection, identify the bumble bees in your photos and have your identifications verified by experts, help researchers determine the status and conservation needs of bumble bees, help locate rare or endangered populations of bumble bees, and connect with other community scientists.
Weathering the storm: helping your garden bounce back
Climate change is driving more severe weather in Minnesota. If your yard is taking a hit, don’t worry. Here’s a simple, safe plan to get your yard and garden back on track.
Do you forage in Ramsey County? Take a quick survey!
Whether you are a seasoned mushroom hunter, a hobbyist berry picker, or a resident of Ramsey County, you’re invited to take a quick survey about your foraging practices to help create land use policies that benefit other foragers and residents.
Cold-hardy honeyberries are ripe for connection, community
Haskap, also known as honeyberries, captivate consumers and bring cold-hardy fruit-producing states closer together to share knowledge.
Interested in installing a rain garden this summer?
Rain Gardens to improve water quality in nearby bodies of water, allowing runoff and snowmelt from hard surfaces like roofs and sidewalks to soak into the ground. Check out these resources and funding opportunities from the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.
More Resources to Help You Grow
Ask a Master Gardener Online & Phone Services
Ramsey County Yard Waste & Food Scraps Drop-off Locations
